ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 20: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic on November 20, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Orlando Magic Grades: Indiana Pacers 105, Orlando Magic 97
The Orlando Magic were unable to get their offense going and failed to execute, turning the ball over 22 times. It all spelled a loss at home.
The Orlando Magic were scrambling.
The Indiana Pacers opened up an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter and seemed set to cruise to a victory. The Magic had to find points. A night when they could not protect the ball or make shots consistently, they were searching for 3-pointers.
Then the shots started falling. Evan Fournier drained a 3-pointer. Then Nikola Vucevic. Then Aaron Gordon hit a tough leaner off the glass.
All of a sudden, the Magic found themselves down by three points with about a minute to play. They just needed one stop. Something Orlando was doing surprisingly well against the offensive-minded Pacers.
It was not to be. As had been the case throughout the fourth quarter, Orlando’s over-reliance on switching every play — even to the point D.J. Augustin was guarding Myles Turner or Thaddeus Young on pick-and-roll switches — left them scrambling. And every time Orlando seemed like it was about to make a run, Indiana came up with a turnover or a shot to break Orlando’s back.
This time that came from Bojan Bogdanovic.
A scramble and reset saw the ball rotating to Bogdanovic for his fifth 3-pointer of the game and a six-point Pacers lead. The Magic did not have enough time or enough firepower to come back. Indiana held off Orlando 105-97 at the Amway Center on Monday, sending the team to its fifth straight loss — and seventh in the last nine games.
The culprit tonight was Orlando’s poor execution.
The Magic shot just 41.7 percent from the floor and 13 for 38 from beyond the arc. The team was trying to move the ball and played with the right energy and intention following Saturday’s disheartening loss. But the team could not hit shots when it got them.
The problems seemed to multiply with the way the Magic forced play. Orlando had 22 turnovers — including 14 in the first half alone. Every starter on the team, save for Terrence Ross, had at least three turnovers. That was a product of the team forcing things and trying to make too many plays. The Pacers did a good job corralling the Magic into traps and corners where they could not get the outlet they needed.
The steals — 17 of them for Indiana including seven for Victor Oladipo — helped feed the Pacers’ fast break.
If it were not for the Magic’s solid half-court offense when the game did slow down, this game might have been a blowout. If there is a silver lining, it might just be that.
The Pacers shot 41.6 percent from the floor and scored just 98.4 points per 100 possessions. That certainly should be enough to win the game. The Magic just kept shooting themselves in the foot.
Indiana finally pulled away to build an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Magic simply could not get a shot to fall and then succumbed to their own mistakes. Their defense could not carry an offense that got in its own way.
Orlando just could not get the shots to fall long enough.
Nikola Vucevic tends to bounce back well from his bad games. And he was about as bad he could be in Saturday’s loss to the Utah Jazz. Seeing him put up big numbers — 25 points and 13 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds — was the exact kind of response the team needed from him. 
Vucevic was aggressive on the glass, attacking the boards well and keeping the ball alive. He floated out to the right spots offensively on pick and rolls and read the defense deftly. Vucevic was at his very best. He was just tough to stop offensively.
Defensively, he was at least not a huge negative. He was not a rim protector and gave up far too many interior points, especially early on. He had to cover a lot of ground. But he started trending in the right direction again defensively.
" > NIKOLA VUCEVIC
C, Orlando MagicB
Nikola Vucevic tends to bounce back well from his bad games. And he was about as bad he could be in Saturday’s loss to the Utah Jazz. Seeing him put up big numbers — 25 points and 13 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds — was the exact kind of response the team needed from him.
Vucevic was aggressive on the glass, attacking the boards well and keeping the ball alive. He floated out to the right spots offensively on pick and rolls and read the defense deftly. Vucevic was at his very best. He was just tough to stop offensively.
Defensively, he was at least not a huge negative. He was not a rim protector and gave up far too many interior points, especially early on. He had to cover a lot of ground. But he started trending in the right direction again defensively.
Frank Vogel said there is a difference between being hurt and being out of rhythm. With Orlando re-integrating both Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin back into the lineup after hamstring injuries, there is going to be an adjustment period. The team has lost a lot of its rhythm. 
Still, for Elfrid Payton it is coming near two weeks since his return from injury. And it feels like he should be further along. This is not the Payton who masterfully controls the pace of a game and creates havoc on the interior for defenses. Payton is not the same player. He does not have the same go.
He scored three points on 1-for-7 shooting and dished out seven assists against four turnovers. He struggled to consistently get in the lane. But when the Magic were at their best, it was because Payton was able to distribute. However, his defense was still suspect. The Pacers got in the interior against him again. And tellingly, Vogel went with Augustin over Payton at the end of the game.
" > ELFRID PAYTON
PG, Orlando MagicC-
The Orlando Magic are hurting at point guard right now. It is painfully obvious. Coach Frank Vogel said there is a difference between being hurt and being out of rhythm. With Orlando re-integrating both Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin back into the lineup after hamstring injuries, there is going to be an adjustment period. The team has lost a lot of its rhythm.
Still, for Elfrid Payton it is coming near two weeks since his return from injury. And it feels like he should be further along. This is not the Payton who masterfully controls the pace of a game and creates havoc on the interior for defenses. Payton is not the same player. He does not have the same go.
He scored three points on 1-for-7 shooting and dished out seven assists against four turnovers. He struggled to consistently get in the lane. But when the Magic were at their best, it was because Payton was able to distribute. However, his defense was still suspect. The Pacers got in the interior against him again. And tellingly, Vogel went with Augustin over Payton at the end of the game.
Bismack Biyombo played the exact role you would want from him. He may never get out of the shadow of his contract, but he can still play at a high level on occasion. And make a huge impact defensively. 
Bismack Biyombo did that Monday. He blocked two shots and changed plenty more on the interior. Both of his blocks led to fast-break scores. Frank Vogel went with Bismack Biyombo a bit longer than usual (perhaps too long considering his offense) because Biyombo was doing such a good job repelling drivers in the paint. It helped keep the score low even as the Magic struggled to score.
Biyombo definitely had a hand in that. He missed half of his six free throw attempts. And anything you get offensively from Biyombo is still a bonus. Still, it was an impactful five points and five rebounds off the bench.
" > BISMACK BIYOMBO
C, Orlando MagicB
The biggest plays of the night came on the defensive end for the Orlando Magic. And they came from a player who seems only to get criticism. When he plays a good game, it is time to give him some due.
Bismack Biyombo played the exact role you would want from him. He may never get out of the shadow of his contract, but he can still play at a high level on occasion. And make a huge impact defensively.
Bismack Biyombo did that Monday. He blocked two shots and changed plenty more on the interior. Both of his blocks led to fast-break scores. Frank Vogel went with Bismack Biyombo a bit longer than usual (perhaps too long considering his offense) because Biyombo was doing such a good job repelling drivers in the paint. It helped keep the score low even as the Magic struggled to score.
Biyombo definitely had a hand in that. He missed half of his six free throw attempts. And anything you get offensively from Biyombo is still a bonus. Still, it was an impactful five points and five rebounds off the bench.
Evan Fournier was the Orlando Magic’s most reliable offensive option. Where several other players seemed to be up and down with their efficiency and productions, Fournier was fairly steady. The Magic knew they could run a set for him — a flex screen or stagger screen — and get him open or get him downhill to set up the offense. He would loosen play for the team. 
That has increasingly fallen off. And the Magic’s slow down offensive is certainly in part because of Fournier’s slow down offensively. On Monday, it was not even necessarily Fournier forcing play or failing to move the ball. He missed some open shots the Magic rely on him to make.
Fournier finished with 16 points and 6-for-16 shooting. He added four assists but had three turnovers.
" > EVAN FOURNIER
G/F, Orlando MagicC+
At the beginning of the season, Evan Fournier was the Orlando Magic’s most reliable offensive option. Where several other players seemed to be up and down with their efficiency and productions, Fournier was fairly steady. The Magic knew they could run a set for him — a flex screen or stagger screen — and get him open or get him downhill to set up the offense. He would loosen play for the team.
That has increasingly fallen off. And the Magic’s slow down offensive is certainly in part because of Fournier’s slow down offensively. On Monday, it was not even necessarily Fournier forcing play or failing to move the ball. He missed some open shots the Magic rely on him to make.
Fournier finished with 16 points and 6-for-16 shooting. He added four assists but had three turnovers.
At the end of the game, Indiana was executing its stuff better than Orlando was executing its stuff. Victor Oladipo scored 29 points and Bojan Bogdanovic had 26 to lead the Pacers. Indiana was just the better team overall. Eventually, the team would pull away even with the pace not at its liking.
" >
INDIANA PACERS
10-8, 8th EastA-
The Indiana Pacers are playing exceedingly well right now. That is what happens when the team is on a four-game win streak. This Pacers team early in the season is a sign of just how good things can get quickly. Indiana is just in a good flow right now.
And that was on full display against the Orlando Magic. They forced turnovers, corralling the Magic and pushing them into short corners on the floor with few outlets. They increased their pressure and just forced consistent and constant mistakes. Those live-ball turnovers led to fast breaks. And that is what the Pacers feed on. The Magic and Pacers are not so different philosophically. And it is not just because of Frank Vogel.
At the end of the game, Indiana was executing its stuff better than Orlando was executing its stuff. Victor Oladipo scored 29 points and Bojan Bogdanovic had 26 to lead the Pacers. Indiana was just the better team overall. Eventually, the team would pull away even with the pace not at its liking.
